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United States Patent |
5,095,972
|
Nakaguro
|
*
March 17, 1992
|
Heat exchanger
Abstract
A heat exchanger includes a pair of header pipes, a plurality of
heat-transfer tubes parallel to each other, a block provided at a position
on a single or two or more heat transfer tubes between the header pipes
and having at least one of an inlet port and an outlet port for a heat
exchange medium. The block is freely located at a desired medial position
between the header pipes as required. Since the inlet port or outlet port
is located at an optimum position between the header pipes, connection of
a pipe or tube thereto can be easily accomplished.
Inventors:
|
Nakaguro; Kazuhiro (Isesaki, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Sanden Corporation (Gunma, JP)
|
[*] Notice: |
The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to December 18, 2007
has been disclaimed. |
Appl. No.:
|
515047 |
Filed:
|
April 26, 1990 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Apr 27, 1989[JP] | 1-48841[U] |
Current U.S. Class: |
165/153; 165/175; 165/176; 165/DIG.486 |
Intern'l Class: |
F28D 001/053 |
Field of Search: |
165/150,152,153,175,176
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
230815 | Aug., 1880 | Puffer | 165/176.
|
1834070 | Dec., 1931 | Parkinson | 165/97.
|
2867416 | Jan., 1959 | Lieberherr | 165/176.
|
4589265 | May., 1986 | Nozawa | 165/152.
|
4771942 | Sep., 1988 | Arold et al. | 165/176.
|
4825941 | May., 1989 | Hoshino et al. | 165/176.
|
4901792 | Feb., 1990 | Komiya | 165/175.
|
4977956 | Dec., 1990 | Aoki et al. | 165/153.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
63427 | Sep., 1955 | FR | 165/176.
|
116817 | Jul., 1946 | SE | 165/176.
|
16730 | ., 1904 | GB | 165/150.
|
2078361A | Jun., 1981 | GB.
| |
Primary Examiner: Rivell; John
Assistant Examiner: Leo; L. R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Banner, Birch, McKie & Beckett
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a pair of substantially parallel header pipes;
a plurality of substantially parallel heat-transfer tubes disposed between
said header pipes, each said heat-transfer tube being connected to each of
said header pipes; and
a block provided at a position between said header pipes and connected to
at least one of said heat-transfer tubes, said block having at least one
chamber therein communicating with said at least one heat-transfer tube
and at least one of an inlet port and an outlet port for a heat exchange
medium therein communicating with said at least one chamber.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality
of radiation fins attached to said heat-transfer tubes.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said heat-transfer
tubes are formed as flat tubes.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said block has two
chambers separated from each other and said inlet port communicates with
one of said two chambers
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said block has two
chambers separated from each other and said outlet port communicates with
one of said two chambers.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said block has two
chambers separated from each other, an inlet port and an outlet port,
wherein said inlet port communicates with one of said two chambers and
said outlet port communicates with the other of said two chambers.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said block has two
chambers separated from each other, at least one of said heat-transfer
tubes is connected to one side of said block and in communication with one
of said two chambers, and at least one of said heat-transfer tubes is
connected to the opposite side of said block and in communication with the
other of said two chambers.
8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said block has only one
chamber.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein an inlet tube for said
heat exchange medium is connected to one of said header pipes, said block
has two chambers separated from each other, said outlet port communicates
with one of said two chambers, and at least two of said heat-transfer
tubes communicates with the other of said two chambers.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein an outlet tube for
said heat exchange medium is connected to one of said header pipes, said
block has two chambers separated from each other, said inlet port
communicates with one of said two chambers, and at least two of said
heat-transfer tubes communicates with the other of said two chambers.
11. A heat exchanger comprising:
a pair of tubular generally parallel header pipes having closed ends;
a plurality of generally parallel heat-transfer tubes disposed between said
header pipes, each said heat-transfer tube being in fluid communication
with said header pipes; and
a block positioned between said header pipes, said block comprising two
hollow chambers separated by a wall, at least one heat-transfer tube being
connected to one chamber and at least one other heat-transfer tube being
connected to the other chamber, one of said block chambers including an
inlet port and the other of said block chambers including an outlet port.
12. A heat exchanger comprising:
a pair of generally parallel tubular header pipes having closed ends;
a plurality of heat-transfer tubes extending between said header pipes and
in fluid communication therewith; and
a hollow block positioned between said header pipes and fluidly coupled
with at least two of said heat-transfer tubes.
13. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 12 wherein said block is
formed with an inlet or outlet port.
14. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 13 wherein a wall separates
the hollow block into two chambers with one of said chambers being formed
with said inlet or outlet port.
15. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 14 wherein the other said
chamber is also formed with a complementary inlet or outlet port.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more specifically to
a heat exchanger which is to be installed in a small limited space such as
a condenser used in an air conditioner for vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional heat exchanger for use as a condenser in an automobile is
constructed, for example, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The heat exchanger
has a pair of header pipes 1 and 2 extending in parallel relation with
each other, and a plurality of flat heat-transfer tubes 3 disposed between
the header pipes in parallel relation with one another and connected to
the header pipes at their end portions. A plurality of radiation fins 4
are provided between flat heat-transfer tubes 3 to accelerate the
radiation from the flat heat-transfer tubes. An inlet tube 5 is connected
to header pipe 1 for introducing a cooling medium into the heat exchanger
and an outlet tube 6 is connected to header pipe 2 for delivering the
condensed cooling medium from the heat exchanger to other equipment.
The insides of header pipes 1 and 2 are divided into a plurality of spaces
in their axial directions by partitions 7 and 8, respectively. The cooling
medium introduced through inlet tube 5 flows in a serpentine passage shown
by arrows through header pipes 1 and 2 and flat heat-transfer tubes 3
until the heat exchanged and condensed cooling medium flows out from
outlet tube 6.
In such a conventional heat exchanger, allowable positions for inlet tube 5
and outlet tube 6 are generally restricted within respective small and
limited areas. When the positions of inlet tube 5 and outlet tube 6 are
restricted, it is often very difficult to connect pipes or tubes to the
inlet and outlet tubes for introducing the cooling medium into the inlet
tube and delivering the cooling medium out from the outlet tube. For
instance, in a case where the heat exchanger is installed in an engine
room of an automobile, pipes or tubes to be connected to inlet tube 5 and
outlet tube 6 must often be drawn around the heat exchanger in a small
space, because the space for locating the pipes or tubes is generally
quite limited in the engine room. The installation of the pipes and tubes,
therefore, is often very difficult. According to circumstances, a pipe or
tube cannot generally be connected directly to the inlet tube or outlet
tube of the heat exchanger. In such a case, for example, as shown in FIG.
13, inlet tube 9 (or an outlet tube) must be designed to extend to a
position where a pipe or tube can be connected to the extended inlet tube
9 (or extended outlet tube).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat
exchanger having a greatly expanded versatility in the positioning of its
inlet port and outlet port for a heat exchange medium; and thereby make it
easy to connect a pipe or tube to the inlet port and/or the outlet port.
To achieve this object, a heat exchanger according to the present invention
comprises a pair of substantially parallel header pipes; a plurality of
substantially parallel heat-transfer tubes disposed between the header
pipes, each heat-transfer tube being connected to each of the header
pipes; and a block provided at a position between the header pipes and
connected to at least one of the heat-transfer tubes. The block has at
least one chamber therein communicating with at least one heat-transfer
tube and at least one of an inlet port and an outlet port for a heat
medium thereon communicating with the at least one chamber in the block.
In the heat exchanger, the block having an inlet port and/or an outlet port
can be located substantially at any position between the header pipes as
long as the block is connected to at least one of the heat-transfer tubes.
Therefore, the inlet port and/or the outlet port for the heat medium can
be located at a free position along at least one heat-transfer tube
between the header pipes, and a pipe or a tube can be easily connected to
the inlet port or/and the outlet port without drawing the pipe or the tube
around the heat exchanger. As a result, the installation and connection of
the pipes or tubes to the ports can be easily conducted, even if the space
provided for installation of the heat exchanger is a small and limited
space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Some preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of
example only, and thus are not intended to limit the present invention.
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a first
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a block portion of the
heat exchanger shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the block portion of the heat
exchanger shown in FIG. 1 taken along IV--IV line of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of a block of the heat exchanger shown in
FIG. 1 and a connection pipe for the heat exchanger.
FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a
modification of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a second
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a third
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a
modification of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a fourth
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a heat exchanger according to a fifth
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is an elevational view of a conventional heat exchanger.
FIG. 13 is an elevational view of a conventional heat exchanger according
to a modification of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a heat exchanger according
to a first embodiment of the present invention. A heat exchanger 11 has a
pair of substantially parallel header pipes 12 and 13, a plurality of
substantially parallel heat-transfer tubes 14 disposed between the header
pipes, and a plurality of radiation fins 15 disposed on the sides of the
heat-transfer tubes. Although heat-transfer tubes 14 are formed as flat
tubes in this embodiment, they may be formed as other type tubes.
Radiation fins 15 are formed as corrugate type fins. Header pipes 12 and
13 have a plurality of holes 16 and 17 on the respective surfaces facing
each other. The end portions of each heat-transfer tube 14 are inserted
into holes 16 and 17, respectively, so that the heat-transfer tube is
connected to header pipes 12 and 13 at its end portions and communicates
with the inside spaces of the header pipes.
A partition 18 is provided in header pipe 12 at a position between the
sixth heat-transfer tube 14 and the seventh heat-transfer tube 14 counted
from the upper side. Of course the specific number of heat-transfer tubes
is not critical to the invention. Partition 18 divides the inside space of
header pipe 12 into spaces 12a and 12b. The inside space of header pipe 13
is divided into spaces 13a, 13b and 13c by partitions 19 and 20. Partition
19 is provided at a position between the fifth and the sixth heat-transfer
tubes 14, and partition 20 is provided at a position between the ninth and
the tenth heat-transfer tubes. An outlet tube 21 is connected to header
pipe 13 at its lower portion as an outlet for a cooling medium. Outlet
tube 21 communicates with inside space 13c of header pipe 13.
A block 22 is provided on a middle portion of the fifth and the sixth
heat-transfer tubes 14 such that the block is connected to both of the
heat-transfer tubes. Block 22 has two chambers 23 and 24 therein separated
from each other. Chamber 23 communicates with the left portions of the
fifth and the sixth heat-transfer tubes 14, and chamber 24 communicates
with the right portions of the heat-transfer tubes. An inlet port 25 is
provided on block 22 as an inlet for the cooling medium. Inlet port 25
communicates with chamber 23.
The left and right end portions of the fifth and the sixth heat-transfer
tubes 14 are inserted into holes 26 and 27 defined on the side walls of
block 22, so as to slightly project into chambers 23 and 24, and fixed to
the block at portions 28 and 29 by brazing as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Block 22 is constructed of block body 22a and cover plate 22b. The cover
plate is fixed to the block body at portions 30 by brazing. In FIGS. 3 and
4, radiation fins 15 are omitted. Boltholes 31 (FIG. 1) are defined on
block 22 around inlet port 25. Connection pipe 32 is connected to block 22
via bolts 33 screwed into boltholes 31, for introducing the cooling medium
from other equipment into the block of heat exchanger 11, for example, as
shown in FIG. 5.
In this embodiment, the cooling medium flows in heat exchanger 11 as shown
by arrows in FIG. 1. The cooling medium introduced by connection pipe 32
flows into chamber 23 of block 22 through inlet port 25. Thereafter the
cooling medium flows into the left portions of the fifth and the sixth
heat-transfer tubes 14, and then into inside space 12a of header pipe 12.
The cooling medium flows upward in inside space 12a and into the first to
the fourth heat-transfer tubes 14. The cooling medium flows into inside
space 13a of header pipe 13 through the first to the fourth heat-transfer
tubes 14, and then into the right portion of the fifth heat-transfer tube
14. The cooling medium flows into chamber 24 of block 22 through the right
portion of the fifth heat-transfer tube 14, turns in the chamber 24, and
then flows into the right portion of the sixth heat-transfer tube 14. The
cooling medium flows into inside space 13b of header pipe 13 from the
right portion of the sixth heat-transfer tube 14, flows downward in the
inside space, and then flows into the seventh to the ninth heat-transfer
tubes. The cooling medium flows into inside space 12b of header pipe 12
through the seventh to the ninth heat-transfer tubes 14, flows downward in
the inside space 12b, and then flows into the tenth and the eleventh
heat-transfer tubes. The cooling medium flows into inside space 13c of
header pipe 13 through the tenth and the eleventh heat-transfer tubes 14,
and flows out from the inside space through outlet tube 21. During this
passage, the cooling medium is gradually condensed by radiation. Radiation
fins 15 accelerate the radiation from the heat-transfer tubes 14.
In the heat exchanger, since block 22 is positioned on a medial portion of
heat-transfer tubes 14 between header pipes 12 and 13, and inlet port 25
for the cooling medium is provided on the block, the inlet port can be
disposed at a desirable medial position between the header pipes. In other
words, inlet port 25 can be disposed at almost any position between header
pipes 12 and 13 by connecting block 22, having the inlet port and chambers
23 and 24, freely to selected heat-transfer tubes 14. Therefore, the
design freedom in positioning the inlet port 25 is greatly increased,
which in turn facilitates easy connection of connection pipe 32 to the
inlet port even if the space around heat exchanger 11 is small and
limited.
FIG. 6 illustrates a modification of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 1. A
heat exchanger 41 is inverted with respect to the heat exchanger shown in
FIG. 1. Likewise, the direction of flow of the cooling medium is also
inverted. Namely, tube 21 constitutes an inlet tube for the cooling medium
and port 25 constitutes an outlet port for the cooling medium in this
embodiment. Thus, block 22 may have outlet port 25.
FIG. 7 illustrates a heat exchanger 51 according to a second embodiment of
the present invention wherein block 52 has outlet port 53 for the cooling
medium. The cooling medium is introduced into inside space 54a of header
pipe 54 through inlet tube 56 and flows into the first to the fifth
heat-transfer tubes 57. The cooling medium then flows into inside space
55a of header pipe 55 and turns in the inside space 55a by partition 58.
The cooling medium flows into chamber 59 through the right portion of the
sixth heat-transfer tube 57, turns therein, and then flows into the right
portion of the seventh heat-transfer tube 57. The cooling medium flows
into inside space 55b of header pipe 55, turns therein, and then flows
into the eighth to the eleventh heat-transfer tubes 57. The cooling medium
flows into inside space 54b of header pipe 54, turns therein by partition
60, and then flows into the left portions of the sixth and the seventh
heat-transfer tubes 57. The cooling medium flows into chamber 61 and then
out therefrom through outlet port 53. During this passage, radiation fins
62 accelerate the condensation of the cooling medium.
FIG. 8 illustrates a heat exchanger 71 according to a third embodiment of
the present invention. In this embodiment, a block 72 has both an inlet
port 73 and an outlet port 74 for the cooling medium. Therefore, typical
inlet and outlet tubes are not provided in this embodiment.
The cooling medium is introduced into chamber 75 defined in block 72
through inlet port 73. The cooling medium flows from chamber 75 into the
left portions of the sixth and the seventh heat-transfer tubes 76. The
cooling medium from the sixth heat-transfer tube 76 flows into upper
inside space 77a of header pipe 77 defined by partition 78 and the cooling
medium from the seventh heat-transfer tube 76 flows into lower inside
space 77b of the header pipe. The cooling medium turns in the respective
inside spaces 77a and 77b and flows into the first to the fifth
heat-transfer tubes 76 and the eighth to the eleventh heat-transfer tubes,
respectively. Then, the cooling medium flows into the inside space of
header pipe 79 and flows therefrom into the right portions of the sixth
and the seventh heat-transfer tubes 76. The cooling medium flows into
chamber 80 of block 72 and flows out therefrom through outlet port 74.
During this passage, radiation fins 81 accelerate the condensation of the
cooling medium. Although no partition is provided in header pipe 79 in
this embodiment, a partition 82 may be provided at a position between the
sixth and the seventh heat-transfer tubes 76 in the header pipe in order
to prevent the interference of the upper flow and the lower flow of the
cooling medium in the header pipe, as shown in FIG. 9.
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, inlet port 73 and outlet port 74
are both provided on block 72, so that both of the ports can be located at
a desired medial position between header pipes 77 and 79 when the block is
positioned on the heat-transfer tubes 76 between the header pipes. This
construction facilitates easy connection of the requisite pipes or tubes
to both inlet port 73 and outlet port 74.
FIG. 10 illustrates a heat exchanger 91 according to a fourth embodiment of
the present invention. In this embodiment, block 92 has inlet port 93,
outlet port 94, and chambers 95 and 96. Chambers 95 and 96 communicate,
respectively, with the left portion and the right portion of a single
heat-transfer tube 97. The cooling medium introduced into chamber 95
through inlet port 93 flows into the left portion of the bottom
heat-transfer tube 97, flows into the inside space of header pipe 98,
turns therein, and then flows into a plurality of the upper heat-transfer
tubes 97. The cooling medium flows from the heat-transfer tubes 97 into
the inside space of header pipe 99, turns therein, and then flows into the
right portion of the bottom heat-transfer tube 97. Then, the cooling
medium flows into chamber 96 and out therefrom through outlet port 94.
Radiation fins 100 accelerate the condensation of the cooling medium
during this passage. Thus, a block according to the present invention may
be connected to either a single or a plurality of heat-transfer tubes.
FIG. 11 illustrates a heat exchanger 101 according to a fifth embodiment of
the present invention. In this embodiment, block 102 has only an inlet
port 103 thereon and a single chamber 104 therein. The cooling medium is
introduced into chamber 104 through inlet port 103 and flows into the
fifth and the sixth heat-transfer tubes 105. The cooling medium from the
fifth heat-transfer tube 105 flows into inside space 106a of header pipe
106 defined by partition 107; and the cooling medium from the sixth
heat-transfer tube flows into inside space 106b of the header pipe. The
cooling medium from inside space 106a flows into the first to the fourth
heat-transfer tubes 105, and then into the inside space of header pipe 108
and the cooling medium from inside space 106b flows into the seventh to
the eleventh heat-transfer tubes 105, and then into the inside space of
the header pipe 108. The cooling medium introduced into the inside space
of header pipe 108 flows out from outlet tube 109 connected to the header
pipe. During this passage, radiation fins 110 accelerate the condensation
of the cooling medium.
In this embodiment, tubes or bars 111 connected to the right side of block
102 do not function as heat-transfer tubes in which the cooling medium
flows, and only function as supports of the block. Thus, a block may have
only an inlet port or an outlet port and only a single chamber
communicating therewith.
Although several preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the
art that various modifications and alterations can be made to these
embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and
advantages of this invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that all
such modifications and alterations are included within the scope of the
invention as defined by the following claims.
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